Thursday, January 1, 2015

Tuchola Forest, September 1, 1939

THE BATTLE FOR TUCHOLA FOREST

Situation Report

Northern Poland,
September 1, 1939:
The flash point for the invasion of Poland was the port city of Danzig and the
Danzig Corridor; territory demanded by Hitler in August, 1939 after the
conquest of Czechoslovakia. Following
the Treaty of Versailles, East Prussia was separated from the rest of the
German Motherland by a strip of land (The Danzig Corridor, also called
Pomerania) that granted Poland access to the sea through the city of Danzig. Hitler’s calls for a united Motherland made the
invasion of Poland- Pomerania specifically- inevitable. The Polish Pomorze Army, centered around the
town of Krojanty was tasked with the defense of Pomerania against the
formidable German Fourth Army who sought to cross the corridor and reunite East
Prussia with Germany. The Tuchola
Forest, in South-Central Pomerania was originally occupied by the Polish 9th
Infantry Battalion who dug in and build defensive positions there along the Brda
River. When the war began the Polish
forces were further forward anticipating a counter-offensive. They believed that the Germans would not
advance through the Tuchola Forest because of the terrain. However, the Germans had conducted exercises
in the area up until 1919 and General Heinze Guderian, the commander of the 19th
Panzer Corps, knew the area well as he had grown up in nearby Kulm. As the Germans pushed forward and collided
with the famous 18th Uhlan Lancers in Krojanty, the 9th
& 27th Polish Infantry Divisions fell back into the Tuchola
Forest; manning defenses they had dug previously.

GAME LENGTH:
14 turns

VICTORY CONDITIONS:
The Germans must get one platoon (50% strength or more) off the opposite
table edge.

THE
BATTLEFIELD:

All bridges can support tanks. The Brda River is fordable by infantry
units. Note the location of 2 pillboxes
along the center road, entrenchments along the west (right) bank of the river,
the cross-shaped pattern of entrenchments in the woods and trenches along the North
road. There are also 2 artillery
emplacements dug on the high ground to the right next to the Center & South
roads. These fortifications are all
placed regardless of whether or not the Poles deploy in them. The Polish defenders set up
anywhere on the right side of the river.
They do not start the game dug in unless they are placed in existing
fortifications.The pillboxes may hold 1
stand (anti-tank gun, heavy machinegun, etc.).There is a ford to the left where the North-South road reaches the
Dolina and stops next to the house.

SPECIAL
RULES: The Germans have Ju-87 Stuka (Priority) air
support for the duration of the game. Due
to logistical issues with the Polish forces moving into position, the Polish
artillery may only fire pre-planned barrages for the duration of the game.

Turn
11 uses Dusk rules while Turns 12-14 are night fighting rules.

GERMAN
ORDER OF BATTLE

3rd
Panzer Division

Confident Veteran

Leicht
Panzerkompanie

Light Tank Company

Battalion
Headquarters 80 pts

1 Panzer I Command tank
(Panzerbefehlswagen)

1 Panzer II C (early)

1
SdKfz 9 Recovery Halftrack

A Company (Leicht
Panzer) 215 pts

2 Panzer I

3
Panzer II C (early)

B Company (Leicht
Panzer) 130 pts

1 Panzer I

2
Panzer II (early)

C Company (Mittlere
Panzer) 450 pts

3 Panzer IV D

Fuel Truck

Supply Truck

Infanteriekompanie
- Motorisiert

Motorized Infantry Company

Confident Veteran

Battalion
Headquarters 45 pts

2 Command SMG teams

2
Kubelwagen

Company A 165
pts

1 Command Rifle Team

1 Kubelwagen

1 Light Mortar Team

1 Anti-Tank Rifle Team

6 Rifle Teams

4 Heavy Trucks (2 teams each)

Medic

Company B 165
pts

1 Command Rifle Team

1 Kubelwagen

1 Light Mortar Team

1 Anti-Tank Rifle Team

6 Rifle Teams

4 Heavy Trucks (2 teams each)

Weapons
Platoons

Machinegun Company 140
pts

1 Command SMG Team

4 MG34 HMG Teams

2 Heavy Trucks (2
teams each)

Mortar Company 130
pts

1 Command SMG Team

4 81mm Mortar Teams

1 Forward Observer /
Motorcycle

2 Heavy Trucks (2
teams each)

Regimental
Support

Anti-Tank Gun
Company 115 pts

1 Command SMG Team

3 37mm Pak 36
Anti-Tank Guns

3 Trucks

Divisional
Support

Recon Company 165
pts

4 SdKfz 222 Armored
Cars

Motorized Light Artillery
Battery 360 pts

1 Forward Observer

4 105mm leFH18
Howitzers

(deployed off-board)

Priority Air
Support 150 pts

Ju-87 B Stuka

Total: 2,310 points

POLISH ORDER OF BATTLE

9th Infantry Battalion

Fearless Veteran

Batalion Piechoty

Infantry Company

Company
Headquarters 50
pts

2
Command Cavalry Rifle teams

1
81mm wz31 Mortar

Medic

Company
A
290
pts

2
Command Rifle Teams

1
Anti-Tank Rifle Team

3
Ckm wz30 HMG’s

12
Rifle teams

Company
B 290
pts

2
Command Rifle Teams

1
Anti-Tank Rifle Team

3
Ckm wz30 HMG’s

12
Rifle teams

Weapons Platoons

Anti-Tank
Gun Company 90
pts

1
Command Rifle team

3
37mm Wz36 Anti-Tank Guns

Divisional Support

Reconnaissance Tank Platoon 65 pts

2
TKS Tankettes

1
TKS Tankettes w/ 20mm FKA gun

Light Howitzer Battery 240 pts

4
100mm wz 14/19 Howitzers

[Deployed
Off-Board]

Total: 1,025 points

Source: FOW
Blitzkrieg Book

POLISH DEPLOYMENT

Company B deployed in the trenches along
the Upper Road with the ATR sited on the stone bridge, an HMG at the end of the
trench closest to the river & another in the damaged house across the
road. 2 stands had to deploy in the
woods beyond the house due to limited cover for all the stands in the unit.

Further up the road, on the higher ground,
the remainder of the Company deployed behind the hedgerows. The third HMG deployed away from the company
in the back pillbox guarding the Middle Road.
The Battalion 81mm mortar deployed on the hill behind Company B’s
position.

Company A deployed in the trench network
between the Middle & Lower bridges. The
HMG’s deployed on each end of the line (closest to the bridges) with the third
in the corner shown above (essentially the center of the line). The ATR also deployed on the left to guard
the Lower Bridge.

Like Company B, there wasn’t enough room
in the trenches for all the men, so 2 stands deployed across the road (behind
the pillbox) guarding the Middle Bridge with several other stands in the woods
along the Middle Road as it ascended toward the rear pillbox.

Of
the 3 anti-tank guns, one deployed in the pillbox guarding the Middle Bridge,
one in the woods just to the left (shown in the above photo) with the third
deploying in the middle of Company A’s entrenchments off to the right.

The
3 TKS Tankettes deployed in the dug-in positions on the high ground between the
Middle and Lower Roads with the HQ in the cluster of buildings far to the rear. The TKS’ will be shifted to
confront whatever bridge gets crossed first by the opposing armor.

GERMAN
PLAN OF ATTACK

The German commander ordered B Company Light Panzers across
the Middle Bridge with the Panzer IV’s and anti-tank guns firing on the
opposite bank to pin down the defenders.
Both Infantry Companies would cross behind the Panzers (still in their
trucks) deploying to secure the woodlands once across. The
Panzers for Company B were ordered across the Upper Bridge with the HMG company
& armored car companies in support.The Panzers would circle around behind the Middle Bridge defenders once
across. The
mortar company was ordered forward to suppress the opposite embankment from the
house by the ford.

Turn 1
- 0800 hours

As
the Germans advanced onto the table, the first Stuka swept down and bombed the
pillbox position by the Middle Bridge.
The gun was merely suppressed, but the command group for the anti-tank
company was destroyed in the woods behind the pillbox.

The
first Polish artillery battery fell exactly where the Germans were expected to
be (at the crossroads before rounding Hill 83), but had no effect on the
lumbering Panzer IV’s coming forward.

Panzer
IV’s shrug off the initial barrage as they advance into the forest area.

The
German command took advantage of the congestion entering the battlefield by
holding back one company of infantry and light panzers to top up their
ammunition levels from the supply trucks.

Turn
2 – 0900 hours

A
flight of 3 Stuka’s came in low in another attempt on the pillbox, but the
aircraft departed; unable to site in on the targets in the woods. The motorcycle-mounted FO for the Mortar
Company crossed Hill 57 and took up a position behind the hedgerow on the river
bank. Unfortunately, there was too much
firepower on the opposite bank and all of the Polish A Company opened up on the
lone spotter who didn’t survive the attack.

The
Panzer IV’s leading the advancing column pulled up behind some hedgerows to
begin firing on the pillbox and anti-tank gun in the woods as the second
artillery barrage fell harmlessly behind them on Hill 83.

Turn
3 – 1000 hours

Another
Stuka roared in low and, much to the frustration of the commanders on the
ground, was unable to spot a target on the opposite shoreline. The Panzer IV’s remained in a firing line to keep
pressure on the Polish defenders at the Middle Bridge.

The
Mortar Company deployed in the road by the ford, using the house as shelter
from the HMG’s on the opposite side of the river. The Command group chose to move into the
house and use that as a spotter’s position, but failed their roll to enter the house.

*Knock!* *Knock!* Mortar Command team wasting time to see if anyone is home before taking up a position to spot for the Mortar Company.

On
the German left, Panzer Company B and their supporting units branched off and
started for the Upper Bridge. The HMG in
the house by the bridge opened up on the soft transports; destroying one of the
trucks behind the hedgerow. Luckily, the
HMG teams bailed out successfully and scampered up into the treeline of the
hill behind the road. The third Polish
bombardment fell harmlessly on the house just in front of Hill 83.

Polish HMG chalks up a kill as one of the German transports blazes behind the hedge row in the distance.

Turn
4 – 1100 hours

With
the zone getting too hot, the rest of the HMG company bailed out of their
trucks and took up positions along the hedgerow and in the shed at the
corner. The armored cars &
light panzers all put pressure on the Polish defenders on the opposite
shoreline as they advanced on the bridge.

The
Polish HMG in the house by the Upper Bridge demonstrated their skill with the
weapon as they were able to exchange fire with 3 German Companies (the armored
cars, tanks & HMGs) and were able to cut down 2 of the German HMG units
(including the one in the shed).
Unnerved by the Polish resistance, the HMG Company withdrew.

The
Germans continued to direct more firepower on the Polish defenders between the
Middle & Upper Bridges. Even though the
Luftwaffe passed harmlessly over the battlefield again, the Panzer IV’s were
able to knock out the ATG sitting in the woods while continuing to suppress the
pillbox.

Over
by the ford, the Mortar Company came under sudden pressure as the next Polish
barrage fell on the house, pinning down the group, but not before the HMG’s on
the opposite shore were able to pick off one of the Mortar teams.

Turn
5 – 1200 hours – High Noon

Finally, the Luftwaffe are able to zero in on the defensive positions by
the Middle Bridge; destroying the pillbox & 2 squads from Company A by the road.

At
the Upper Bridge, Panzer Company B and the Armored Cars crossed the
river. The armored cars kept the Polish
infantry rooted in their trenches while the tanks began the encirclement.

In preparation for the crossing of the Middle Bridge, the Panzer IV's fired smoke into the Polish defenders on the opposite shore; obscuring the HMG positions closest to the bridge.

The German commander plays 1/72 scale and is accustomed to having less room on the table, therefore he has a tendency to bunch up units when playing 15mm. Most of the time it isn't a problem as the Germans have air superiority and the Polish defenders haven't had a lot of artillery. Here, 5 companies bunch up in preparation for the bridge crossing.

Turn 6 – 1300 hours

The Panzers of Company A cross the middle bridge &
assault the Polish defenders, virtually wiping out any resistance to the
crossing.

At the same time the Armored Cars hit the trenches
by the Upper Bridge.

Although the Armored Cars had similar success in clearing out most of the squads in the forward trenches, the Company
Commander lost his nerve in the face of so many defenders and the armored cars
pulled back to the road (perhaps he believed the remaining Defenders would
withdraw after losing 5 stands).

Between the two
bridges, the Panzers of Company B attempted to mop up the defenders lurking in
the woods near the forward pillbox while the Luftwaffe came in and pinned down the machinegun in the
rear pillbox.

Despite the
surge of momentum from the Germans, the Poles were not about to give up. Both companies defending the bridges began to
consolidate: Company A began shifting
men from the Lower Bridge to deal with the Middle Bridge, while Company B
brought men forward from the hedgerows on the hill beyond to take on the armored cars.

The heavy
machinegun (across from the mortars at the house) was able to fire across the
Middle Bridge and take out a truck carrying some of the German infantry. At the Upper Bridge, 2 machineguns combined
to knock out one of the armored cars.

The German recon commander pays the price for losing his nerve in the assault as an HMG brews up one of the armored cars.

Turn 7 – 1400 hours

The trucks
carrying the German infantry crossed the Middle Bridge while the Panzers pushed
deeper into the woods.

Another assault
by the Panzers foundered when 3 of the tanks got stuck in the woods, but the
Poles continued to fall back rather than engage the tanks at close range.

The leading Panzer II's are ambushed by the waiting TKS tankettes.

Beyond the
woods, further uphill from the Middle Bridge, the Panzer II’s came under fire
from the TKS tankettes while suppressing the 2nd pillbox. The 20mm FKA gun mounted on one of the
tankettes proved a worthy match against the much larger German tanks.

Just when it
seemed the Germans were about to have the battle in the bag, good fortune
shined on the Poles once again. At the
Upper Bridge, the Polish B Company had taken up new positions in the trenches
and still had 2 Heavy Machineguns in support.
They laid down a thick field of fire on the German armored cars; wiping
out the remaining 3. This left no other
German forces attempting to take the Upper Bridge. With no one to their front, the Poles began
requesting an Orders Change to fall back & block the German advance up the
Middle Road. (Because of the tactical inferiority of the Polish troops, an Order Change requires a roll of 6 on a d6).

In the meantime, a
pre-planned artillery strike came down right in the center of the Middle Bridge
(congested with trucks and squads making the crossing). Fortunately, only 2 German trucks were
destroyed with 1 stand of infantry. What
should have been a devastating barrage was nothing more
than an inconvenience to the German advance.

Turn 8
– 1500 hours

With the threat
of artillery and the Heavy Machinegun in Pillbox 2, the Infantry
dismounted across the Middle Bridge and made for the woods.
Combined with the shooting from the Panzers, they were able to drop
another squad of Polish Defenders; enough to finally cause them to fail a Route
test and the Poles withdrew from the woods.
The Panzer IV’s crossing the bridge put enough firepower on the pillbox
to knock it out.

Panzers and Infantry finish pushing the Polish defenders out of their trenches in the woods.

The duel between
the TKS and Panzer II’s heated up as the TKS destroyed one of the Panzers. This squadron of 3 tankettes was all that remained between the Germans and victory.

The Polish
Defenders at the Upper Bridge received a successful Orders Change and they
pulled out of the trenches and headed back uphill. The Commander-in-Chief believed they had time
to move into the woods alongside the Middle Road by the back of the table
before the Germans would get there.

With most resistance quelled, the German column continues up the road.

Turns
9 & 10 – 1700 hours

Turn 9 passed
pretty quickly with the Poles pulling back from the Upper Bridge and the
Germans in the woods moving up to flank the defending TKS on the high
ground. By Turn 10, 2 of the 3 TKS were destroyed
and the Panzer IV’s led the column up the road to victory.

AFTERMATH

With the
breakthrough at Tuchola Forest, most of the Polish 9th & 27th
Infantry Divisions were surrounded and eliminated by September 5th. As the Germans cut across the Danzig
Corridor, several pockets of resistance along the coast were by-passed so that
the Germans could mop them up afterwards.
The few Polish units that escaped the encirclement managed to withdraw
to Bydgoszcz.

On September 6,
Adolf Hitler congratulated General Guderian on his quick progress in closing
the Danzig Corridor and “reuniting” Germany.

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A friend and I are fulfilling a Bucket List Wish: Gaming World War II beginning to end. I am using this forum to capture the scenarios created/used and battle reports for posterity. In time I am certain I will run out of space and old ones will be replaced with more current ones.